You like wine, but aren’t sure what to look for or wonder how to tell a good wine from a mediocre one. As with anything else in life, the key is balance. There are four key elements that contribute to taste in wine: acid, alcohol, fruit, and tannin. When all of these elements are in harmony, no one element stands out; each blends seamlessly with the others, leaving the wine tasting smooth and elegant. Let’s explore these elements.
Acid. It’s no secret wines contain acid, some more than others, based on the choice of grape used. High acid wines lacking balance get your attention immediately; the acidity burns your mouth and tastes sour or tart. Nevertheless, acidity is good; it increases saliva, readies your palate for food, and makes wine a wonderful food complement.
White wines contain higher levels of acidity than reds. In both, acidity must be nicely integrated with all other elements. Good winemakers strive to balance acidity with fruit to craft quality wines. Sauvignon blancs tend to have higher levels of acidity. For a perfectly balanced Loire Valley Sancerre, I was amazed by a 2006 Domaine Cherrier ($23) at Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in Las Vegas.
Alcohol. As grapes ripen, sugar levels increase. Fermentation creates wine as yeasts convert sugar into alcohol. The more sugar in the grape must, the higher the percentage of alcohol in the resulting wine. Alcohol levels also vary by grapes, with Rieslings weighing in at lower levels (8% to 10%) and Zinfandels coming in at 14% to 17%. Formerly averaging 12% to 12.5% alcohol, now global warming is elevating levels to 13.5% or more.
However, it isn’t the level that matters as much as whether the alcohol level is harmonious with a wine’s fruit and structural elements. Alcohol balanced with all other elements doesn’t call attention to itself. Conversely, too much alcohol creates a burning sensation in the mouth and throat. Quality wines never provide a burning sensation due to their finesse and balance.
I recently opened a 2003 La Garrigue ($16) from Domaine la Casenove in Roussillon. Smooth and delicious, it was a masterfully balanced wine. Amazingly, its alcohol is 14.5%, but you’d never know it.
High alcohol also presents another dilemma. Wine is meant to be consumed with food. Classic European wines are food friendly due to their historically lower (12% to 12.5%) alcohol and balance. As alcohol rises, wine’s food friendliness decreases. High alcohol wines overwhelm most foods, making them an unsuitable match for dining.
Fruit. Wine varies from subtle to vibrant in terms of the intensity of its fruit flavor. Rich, ripe fruit adds both complexity and texture to wine and contributes to the wine’s character. The same balance principle applies: fruit flavor and intensity should not dominate the wine.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Hawk Crest Cabernet Sauvignon ($10) offers a nicely balanced wine at value pricing. No wonder, it’s made by one of America’s best winemakers.
Tannin. Ever tasted a red wine that made your mouth feel astringent and dry? Or, have you experienced the harsh, mouth-puckering bitterness of a strong cup of tea? That’s the effect of tannin, a component of many, but not all, red wines. While good quality cabernet sauvignons can be highly tannic when young, other red grapes (think pinot noir) contain negligible amounts of tannin.
Tannin is important to the aging of wine; it provides structure and preserves the wine as it ages. Tannin must be balanced with fruit, however. A wine with lots of vibrant, ripe fruit, as New World wines often contain, can compensate for higher levels of tannin, making the wine softer and easier to drink young. Because tannin comes largely from the grape skins that provide red wines their color, white wines do not contain tannin.
With time in bottle, tannins ripen and become polished. Until then, tannin can be high in a young wine and it’s perceived as bitter. Techniques for reducing the impact of tannin are aging the wine, decanting it for an hour or more prior to serving it, and serving it with high protein foods, such as steak, which cut the tannin.
For another wonderful example of balance, try Chapoutier’s 2006 Petite Ruche Rouge ($25) unoaked Croze Hermitage. It’s awesome.
Make balance a key principle of your life. But remember, balance is subjective due to individual taste thresholds and perceptions of wine.
Enjoy.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Wonderful Wines from Spain
Another political season is here and while the malarkey being tossed around by both parties is enough to drive any sane person to drink, I suggest your drink of choice be wine (in moderation, of course). Why? It’s much healthier for one and, secondly, I write a wine column, not a scotch column. As I discovered long ago, scotch doesn’t enhance the writing process, although Ernest Hemingway might debate that, if he were still alive. Since he’s not, I’ll continue with my thoughts on wine.
Since Americans are now on the hook for $700 B to bail out big, well-managed (detect the irony?) mortgage banks, let me suggest more ways for you to save money on your wine purchases, without sacrificing quality, of course. For smart wine shoppers, that means buying excellent value wines from Spain. Why Spain? Glad you asked. There are several reasons actually.
First of all, Spain is the world’s third largest national producer of wine, with a wine history similar to other Old World countries that goes back over a thousand years. The fact is Spain has more vineyard land under cultivation than any other country. Most of these grapes are, however, of average quality from the Airen grape and are used to make brandy. However, Spain also has a history of quality wines, helped along by French winemakers in the late 1800’s. French vintners came south to lend their expertise to Iberian wineries after their beloved French vineyards were decimated by the phylloxera louse. The Rioja region of Spain was the primary beneficiary, leading to the popularity and fine reputation of Rioja wines today.
Significantly, Spain is the source of some excellent wines, many - almost all, really with a rare exception – representing excellent value for your money. Unlike the leading French, California and Italian wines, most Spanish wines are relatively unknown and therefore, cannot command the high prices of those other wines. Besides Rioja, do Bierzo, La Mancha, Montsant, Priorat, Rias Baixas, Ribera del Duero and Toro sound familiar? They should and provide terrific wines at bargain prices.
A big fan of Spanish wine, I attended a tasting of 10 wines imported by Folio Fine Wine Partners, owned by Michael Mondavi, son of the late Robert Mondavi. He found he had time (and a bundle of money, too) on his hands after Robert Mondavi Winery was sold in 2004. Having extensive knowledge of the wine industry, he established Folio wines to import high quality wines. Its goal is to bring one-of-a-kind wines at a variety of price points to American consumers. Based on this tasting, they surely do that.
The tasting, hosted by Fifth Ave Liquors and Metro 9 Steak House, started with a 2006 Fillaboa Albarino ($17) from Rias Biaxas, the area of Spain located north of Portugal. Albarino is a elegant, aromatic grape that makes crisp, white wine. With a lemony citrus aroma, it’s a great choice for fish and other seafood.
Spain is best known for good to great red wines, and the reds fit that profile. My favorites were the 2004 Comenge ($30), a 100% tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, the excellent 2004 Mas de l’Abundancia “Fluminis” ($30) from Montsant, and the heavenly 2004 “Embruix” ($37) from Vall Llach in Priorat.
The Comenge offered mild, but pleasant fruit and although it was a bit tannic, it will smoothen out with a little time. It’s drinkable now, but should be awesome in 24 months or so. Fluminis, a blend garnacha, carinena and cabernet sauvignon, featured nice fruit flavor and was elegant, delicious and superbly balanced. The Embruix, a blend of garnacha and carinena with a bit of syrah, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, is a highly rated wine that, at its current price, is one of the best wine bargains you’ll ever experience. It’s not cheap, but this wine would still be great at multiples of its current price. While I liked it a lot initially, it’s a wine that grows on you and I soon fell in love with it.
While these wines over-shadowed the other wines tasted, the wines were all very good. Of two Riojas from Palacios Remondo, I liked the Vendima ($15) and thought the Montesa ($20) was exceptionally good and will get even better with a little time. At those prices, less discounts, how could you lose?
I’d be remiss if I neglected to recommend two other of my favorite Spanish wines to you: the 2006 Dehesa Gago ($18) from the exciting, and up-and-coming, Toro Region and the 2004 Gotin Bru from Castell del Remei ($15) in Costers del Segre. Both are exceptional wines for the price. While I love the Gago, I like the del Remei even more. It’s a blend of 50% tempranillo, 20% cabernet Sauvignon, 20% merlot and 10% garnacha.
Buying the value wines suggested in this column should yield excellent wines and save you lots of money. Please send any money you save directly to the IRS to the attention of their Corporate Welfare Banking sub-division. Should that be painful, simply uncork another bottle.
Enjoy.
Since Americans are now on the hook for $700 B to bail out big, well-managed (detect the irony?) mortgage banks, let me suggest more ways for you to save money on your wine purchases, without sacrificing quality, of course. For smart wine shoppers, that means buying excellent value wines from Spain. Why Spain? Glad you asked. There are several reasons actually.
First of all, Spain is the world’s third largest national producer of wine, with a wine history similar to other Old World countries that goes back over a thousand years. The fact is Spain has more vineyard land under cultivation than any other country. Most of these grapes are, however, of average quality from the Airen grape and are used to make brandy. However, Spain also has a history of quality wines, helped along by French winemakers in the late 1800’s. French vintners came south to lend their expertise to Iberian wineries after their beloved French vineyards were decimated by the phylloxera louse. The Rioja region of Spain was the primary beneficiary, leading to the popularity and fine reputation of Rioja wines today.
Significantly, Spain is the source of some excellent wines, many - almost all, really with a rare exception – representing excellent value for your money. Unlike the leading French, California and Italian wines, most Spanish wines are relatively unknown and therefore, cannot command the high prices of those other wines. Besides Rioja, do Bierzo, La Mancha, Montsant, Priorat, Rias Baixas, Ribera del Duero and Toro sound familiar? They should and provide terrific wines at bargain prices.
A big fan of Spanish wine, I attended a tasting of 10 wines imported by Folio Fine Wine Partners, owned by Michael Mondavi, son of the late Robert Mondavi. He found he had time (and a bundle of money, too) on his hands after Robert Mondavi Winery was sold in 2004. Having extensive knowledge of the wine industry, he established Folio wines to import high quality wines. Its goal is to bring one-of-a-kind wines at a variety of price points to American consumers. Based on this tasting, they surely do that.
The tasting, hosted by Fifth Ave Liquors and Metro 9 Steak House, started with a 2006 Fillaboa Albarino ($17) from Rias Biaxas, the area of Spain located north of Portugal. Albarino is a elegant, aromatic grape that makes crisp, white wine. With a lemony citrus aroma, it’s a great choice for fish and other seafood.
Spain is best known for good to great red wines, and the reds fit that profile. My favorites were the 2004 Comenge ($30), a 100% tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, the excellent 2004 Mas de l’Abundancia “Fluminis” ($30) from Montsant, and the heavenly 2004 “Embruix” ($37) from Vall Llach in Priorat.
The Comenge offered mild, but pleasant fruit and although it was a bit tannic, it will smoothen out with a little time. It’s drinkable now, but should be awesome in 24 months or so. Fluminis, a blend garnacha, carinena and cabernet sauvignon, featured nice fruit flavor and was elegant, delicious and superbly balanced. The Embruix, a blend of garnacha and carinena with a bit of syrah, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, is a highly rated wine that, at its current price, is one of the best wine bargains you’ll ever experience. It’s not cheap, but this wine would still be great at multiples of its current price. While I liked it a lot initially, it’s a wine that grows on you and I soon fell in love with it.
While these wines over-shadowed the other wines tasted, the wines were all very good. Of two Riojas from Palacios Remondo, I liked the Vendima ($15) and thought the Montesa ($20) was exceptionally good and will get even better with a little time. At those prices, less discounts, how could you lose?
I’d be remiss if I neglected to recommend two other of my favorite Spanish wines to you: the 2006 Dehesa Gago ($18) from the exciting, and up-and-coming, Toro Region and the 2004 Gotin Bru from Castell del Remei ($15) in Costers del Segre. Both are exceptional wines for the price. While I love the Gago, I like the del Remei even more. It’s a blend of 50% tempranillo, 20% cabernet Sauvignon, 20% merlot and 10% garnacha.
Buying the value wines suggested in this column should yield excellent wines and save you lots of money. Please send any money you save directly to the IRS to the attention of their Corporate Welfare Banking sub-division. Should that be painful, simply uncork another bottle.
Enjoy.
Give Thanks for Good Wine
As we give thanks for the good things in our lives, let’s appreciate how much wine has improved over the past twenty years and how much good wine is available today. We should do this during Thanksgiving dinner, of course, since wine is the perfect complement to food.
Wine is meant to be consumed with food; good wine and good food are inseparable. When wine’s flavors complement food’s, each tastes better due to the synergistic harmony that occurs in our mouths. The goal of food and wine pairing is to create those fantastic combinations of flavor and tasty sensations that result when the right wine is chosen.
Thanksgiving dinner presents somewhat of a pairing challenge, due mainly to the variety of dishes served. Let’s face it, while a normal dinner includes a main dish with two or three sides, holiday ritual demands a multitude of dishes.
Food-friendly wines come in both reds and whites, and both work. They include
Avoid wines, such as cabernet sauvignon and most red
Riesling. The most food-friendly, flexible wine of all amply demonstrates its ability to wonderfully complement the variety of holiday foods. St. Urbans-Hof Riesling ($20) is from a good producer. It’s slightly sweet, but not too, and mildly and refreshingly tart. Meyer-Fonne Riesling ($22) is also excellent.
Gewürztraminer. This highly aromatic wine isn’t well known, nevertheless, wine lovers treasure its fruity delights. Go with one made in a drier style. The best come from the
Rose. Rose wines often get a bad rap due to the erroneous association many folks make with it to white zinfandel, which can be overly sweet. Truth be told, rose wines are mostly crisp and dry, very tasty and the preferred wine of the European elite during their summer holidays on the French Riviera. Fortunately, you don’t have to be wealthy or a wine snob to enjoy the pleasant combination rose wine makes with the tasty bounty of Thanksgiving table foods. Try Bastianich Rosato ($16), Cantele Negroamaro Rosato ($13), Chateau du Basty ($15) or Corail Cotes de Provence ($22).
Pinot Noir. Low in tannin and smooth and elegant with flavors of berries and spices, pinot noir makes another good holiday combination. I suggest Taz ($25) from
Sparkling Wines.
You should plan on at least a half bottle (just over two glasses) or more per person. If you have a large group, try a couple of whites and a red for variety. Much of the fun with wine lies in experimenting, so be adventurous.
Enjoy.
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